The Winter is Past

by Nicky Hemery

3 September 2010

See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.

Song of Songs 2:11-12, NIV

In the winter our garden doesn’t look at its best! In fact it tends to look rather messy in places. During the past two winters we’ve had heavy snowfalls. Then a transformation takes place overnight and our messy, dull, colourless garden is covered in a thick layer of white snow. The divide between lawn and flowerbed disappears. All the sharp edges are rounded and the steps or ledges can’t be seen. Everything looks the same – it’s all covered up. The reality of what lies under the surface is hidden for a while - until the snow melts.

Several years ago God showed me I had entered into unreality, in my attempt to mask the less attractive, sinful and damaged areas of my life. Just as the snow temporarily covers our messy garden, making it look more attractive to the eye, so I’d covered my sin, pain and wounds with a layer of unreality. I was hoping to mask the truth I didn’t like!

But God showed me that the ‘snow’ needed to melt so that reality could be exposed. The gardener can only tend to the garden once the snow has melted. My Father God needed me to let Him into the reality of my life. He was asking me to allow Him to gently deal with those areas I didn’t like – as He wanted to bring truth and healing.

The good news is that an experienced gardener will tidy, prune and dig the soil in the winter to prepare it for sowing seeds in the spring, and then an abundance of colour and beauty can grow once more.

Sometimes there’s a sense of ‘winter’ for a season in our life. It may seem easier to cover up the reality from ourselves and others, but just as snow prevents a gardener from doing his work, so we can prevent God from working in our lives. We need to allow God to tend our life, in order that the precious new growth of spring and the beauty of summer may take place.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You that it’s Your truth that sets me free, as I’m real with you and myself, and allow You into every corner of my life. Please help me to be real and to allow You to have your way in my life, that I may receive Your healing and be fruitful. Amen.

Nicky Hemery joined the Ellel Ministries team at Pierrepont in 1995 as Jill Southern-Jones PA. Prior to joining the Ellel team she trained and competed horses in Horse Trials and worked in Event Co-ordination for her sister's catering business. She is married to Richard who is the Bookshop Manager at Pierrepont and now loves being a full-time mum to their young daughter Annabel.

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